¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.1 Thessalonians 5:16-18New International Version (NIV)

 

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” Romans 12:12 NIV

And don’t forget the rewards from turning over things is praying.  The payback when we leave our anxieties with the Christ is tremendous.

 ^6-7Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. Philippians 4:6-7 The Message (MSG)

I think today may be a good day to reap some of those, don’t you?

This is one of the many fantastic things that we Easter reminds us about; the Christ become THE sacrifice!

 But he has appeared once for all at the culmination of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.  Hebrews 9:26

Today as you head into work and get started on your week, remember the only thing you really need to worry about is doling out forgiveness in the same quantity it’s been giving to you!  Really that’s just about all you need to worry about.

That’s makes no sense.

And that is why I follow him!

what, it is.. What am I supposed to do. I don’t know.  Oh no.  I ,, I ,, I ..

What do I do?  Where am I supposed to be? This is so stressful.

I don’t have a clue what Panic Day is, but it’s seems like a good time to just remind yourself about where to deposit all of that stress and anxiety.

 ^25-26“If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don’t fuss about what’s on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds.

^27-29“Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch? All this time and money wasted on fashion—do you think it makes that much difference? Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

^30-33“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving. People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

³⁴“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. Matthew 6:25-34 The Message (MSG)

and this one as well:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Philippians 4:6

After a surprisingly non eventful start to the day, Amy and the boys went off to work.  Following suit, I prepared my self for a day at the ol’ milestone, feed the cats, loading my bags for the post-work activities into my truck and reached in my pocket for my keys.

Except  they were not there.  Nor were they on the nightstand, of the kitchen counter, or my desk.  no, they were in Amy’s purse – that was in Amy’s classroom at Amy’s school.

Not only that, but remember last week when I had no power ( yes Ben, I had no POWER!!!, and it went out again last night!!!! – I think I have moved to a third world country).  Anyway,  remember last week, when I had no power, and no laptop.  You do!  great, because the laptop problem has returned.

So, here I sit, at home, with a laptop complaining about a hard drive it can’t read, and two , count them two cars in the garage which I cannot start, because I have no keys.

Well, actually, I do have one key – I have a key to the car Amy drove to work today.

Oh, it’s Monday!!!

So, what does this have to do about anything, apart from my complaining?  Well, I think it shows how important something foundational or something essential is to the whole works.  Without  a key those vehicles are just big hunks of steel.  Although they are completely functional, they are missing the one element that keeps them going.  It sort of reminds me of these words from John 15:5, which we will put in Red letters

Also I think this is gentle reminder about how to handle something we all deal with everyday – anxiety.  In the end, this whole deal this morning is actually a small thing.  I do have a 11ish appointment that I should be present in the office for, and I do need to get this laptop fixed, which again requires heading to the office, but in the end, being anxious and worrying will not help at all.

 ²² Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. ²³ For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! ²⁵ Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? ²⁶ Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Luke 12 NIV

So, Stay Calm and keep hold of the Key!

So, I spent some time trying to figure out where my anxieties were coming from. I mean, this wasn’t the ‘send him off for the first time’ type of experience or the ‘driving on a crowded road’ type of experience. I think this had to do with control, or the lack of control. It is an interesting experience as a parent to continue to loosen the hold of control and allow your children to go on their own way. It’s really quite a painful experience – in so many ways!

But I think this goes further then the control of the parent, this was really turning over control, and I think that is a problem that we all deal with. In this case, maybe it was justified, I mean this is a case of an experienced driver turning over control to an inexperienced driver, allowing the inexperienced driver to drive the vehicle directly into a tree or something. But in our lives, we want to keep control, when we are more then likely the inexperienced driver. The experience of the Holy Spirit sits beside us ready to guide us, if we allow control to move over to it. So here is a simple lesson for a Friday.

7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

New International Version (NIV)

That’s correct give it over to Him, allow him to worry for you and there is a great deal of peace waiting for you!

That’s a pretty good bit of driving advice, and a great conclusion from the first of many driving lessons.

And today my time started on the wrong side of the day, or I should say my clock thought it was the evening when I needed it to it to think it was the morning – all of that riddle to say I am rushing just a bit this morning, as I head off for a remarkable day of discussing the merits of process modeling.

Anyway, I think if you subscribe by email you will get a double dose today, so make sure you check out both.  And if on this ides of June you are rushing around as I am take a moment and consider this verse.

¹⁹ When anxiety was great within me,
your consolation brought me joy. Psalm 94:19 New International Version (NIV)

Yes, freedom.  When bonds are released and new limits are opened it is such a fantastic feeling.  The feeling of freedom and the joys of freedom are something I write about quite often - because it is so nice.  However, when it comes to spiritual freedom, sometimes, we want to stay in our bondage.  But look at this, the creator of the world says, give me your bondage:

7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 New International Version (NIV)

This spiritual liberation, that comes oddly enough though a complete surrender is a really good thing. It makes the joy of the iPhone look like the joy you can get from a lead balloon.

Cast you anxiety on him and enjoy freedom. (oh , and then tweet about it!)

11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. John 15:11 New International Version (NIV)

It’s days like this when I can tell my patience and ability to listen to God are tested. I start thinking about me and “all the stuff I have to do” and how inconvenient these changes are etc. It’s so easy to get into a position where the world revolves around you and then “boom” the hammer drops and you are in a the place that you didn’t want to be. Maybe its a little road rage, maybe it’s a quick hurtful word to a co worker, maybe it’s just not thinking about others correctly.

It’s days like this I go back to an old favorite in my mind.

    ²⁵ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

   ²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:25-34, New International Version, ©2011)

You ever have a day like that? From the moment the alarm goes off things just are not “on frame” – as they say in soccer. You can’t find stuff, teenagers are doing their best at being, well, teenagers. Then there are schedules, pressure, etc etc etc etc.

Today’s one of those days. So I am trying to slip in a little bit of motivation for myself ( and you) before I get whisked away in the land of endless emails.

So, a few verses I am trying to consider today, to reduce the anxiety and refocus my brain:

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 ESV

But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded. 2 Chronicles 15:7 ESV

and then there is this one below.  This is a verse that most of the time we may not attribute to encouragement on a difficult day.  However I find it both humbling and full of purpose. It seems to emphasis the only task for the day that really matters and provides a little bit of clarity about the things that are causing stress.

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:24 ESV

If your day has started like mine, spend a moment to recenter on the one mission and goal for the day – “the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”

And that’s especially me this morning.  Between coaxing a teenager to get ready for school, watering the garden, running, picking tomatoes, showering, ironing clothes, reading email, paying bills, and talking Fantasy football with Andrew I am plum give out and its not even 9 am! Phew.

I am sure y’all have days like this as well, and these are days when this stuff can crush our spirit.  I have already caught myself this morning, feeling this self induced anxiety coming over me, and knowing that whoever crosses my path better watch out.  That’s not good. It’s day’s like this we need to remember things like this:

¹⁰ “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 (New International Version)

He’s in control, and he’s the one that we can can find peace in.  So if you find yourselves like me today – just a little frazzled.  Be still for a few moments, focus on Him and see what a difference it makes.

I know, I feel better and ready to head off for a day of cubical warfare!